Moon Cakes and More

We are now in the midst of the Mid-Autumn Festival, one of the four most important Chinese festivals, even though Singapore does not experience Autumn.  Mooncakes are regarded as an indispensable delicacy and adorn every cake shop front-window and many temporary stalls as well. They consist of a thin pastry skin enveloping a sweet, dense filling of bean paste, lotus seed or even durian, and may contain one or more whole salted egg yolks in their center to symbolize the full moon. What I love the most are the exquisite boxes they are presented in. It is worth buying them for the box alone.

Now that we are back at work I have time to read again. Funny that! In the book I have just finished set in Singapore, 'The Bondmaid' by Catherine Lim, it details many of the Chinese festivals, ancestral worship and the forces of tradition which dictate public duty but are at odds with private indulgences and brutality. It follows the life of a girl born into poverty and sold into a wealthy and powerful Chinese household as a 4 yr old. While the story was probably unfolding in the early 1900s you have to wonder just how many of these influences are still working away in the heads and hands of the people we share the neighbourhood with.  We witness so many customs unfolding as one festival follows the next and we are mindful of the comments the children at work divulge about being scolded and beatings. In a complete change of style the book I have just started is 'Return to a Sexy Island' by Neil Humphries. He's from the UK but has lived in Singapore before settling in Australia, all the while writing travel notes. Now he is back and writing about how Singapore has done an amazing make-over in just five years. His first trip out is to see Marina Bay Sands and the way he describes his disorientation and amazement at the development just sounded like an echo of what Jenni Munday said when she returned to the site of her dragon boat regatta after 6 years. I'm loving his light-hearted, tongue in cheek recounts. For instance, in comparison he notes how it is possible to recognise a single tree in a paddock in Australia after 30 years of the making of the Mad Max movie. And that made me think of Mum and her landmark tree on the flats of Yarra Glen that would still be standing after a lot more than 30 (closer to 60) years of her living in the district, had it not been for a recent lightening strike. Fortunately she has a treasured painting of it now to keep the memory. 

Work this week began with a second staff appraisal, the interview took forever but was positive.  I got to speak some honest truths about how I think the leadership team could achieve more, who knows where that will lead.  Never been known as one to just keep her mouth shut. Eric is yet to do his as he was off with a virus one day this week, the day he was booked in. He got over that, and was feeling good, and then stubbed his toe very soundly on a step and is going to loose a toenail next.

 Meeting at the Coffee Shop before we head out.

On the weekend the walkers tried a new route through the Tampines Bike Park. The Mountain Bike trail is situated on a 60-hectare bush site and is seven-kilometres long with several climbs and challenging downhill (for riders) as well as sandy stretches. Being a weekday it was rare to see a bike and was a nice change to walk with a natural surface underfoot, as so often we are on concrete. Then we wandered the 3 km grassed trail around the freshwater wetlands, secondary rainforest and open grasslands of Tampines Eco Green.  This is a new park opened in 2011, a haven for biodiversity and has the first eco-toilet in a public park in Singapore. The bare concrete roofs of the park's four shelters and eco-toilet are all covered with creepers and yellow Crotolaria flowers. There are bird hides too, but our present company were all too talkative for them to be useful. We will have to return on our own and in more discrete colours to see the resident birds. We saw more lizards than birds this time. This week we were joined by Peter's daughter Kate and her new fiance Luke who live in Geelong.

On the way home we took the shuttle bus from Tampines to Ikea.  When we first arrived we were pretty pleased to have an Ikea store in town, since Darwin is so far from one, but its funny, we haven't had the need to return since the first visit in Jan. We found what we were looking for, and a few other items we can justify owning now we know we are here for 3yrs. Then I went on to Spotlight - we have a 'black and white' themed end of year dinner coming up and I am not prepared to put myself through the stress of dress-buying again after the last time for the wedding in April. I'll be going home-made. Before I begin that project though I am determined to finish the alterations and mending pile but guess what - my wonderful $50 Singer is playing up and I'm left frustrated amidst a massive pile of mess to tidy away. I've turned it off and hope it will just fix its own tension when I turn it on tomorrow.

In the evening we went to Chinatown for dinner and to enjoy the lovely lanterns on display. We appreciated these a lot more than the garish ones at Clarke Quay.

Term 4 already

1 week done,11 weeks to go and we'll be on holidays again. Isn't life grand?
Settled back at home after the wonderful holiday in Sri Lanka we returned to routine.The staff mtg was as droll as ever but this time Libby has a win, getting agreement to move the water filter away from the far corner to the opposite end of the room beside the fridge and coffee cups. It has taken since January to get this to happen. Nothing changes quickly here.
On Thursday we went for a walk through the local bush and came across a number of keen wildlife photographers. I stopped to chat to them and was told the migrant birds are starting to arrive from the colder  zones as winter approaches so we should be able to see a whole range of new species in the coming months like the wagtails and flycatchers.

As we walked to and from work each day last week we watched the culmination of the Hungry Ghosts Festival at the HDB across the road. One afternoon a stage was built to accommodate a traditional Chinese orchestra that we saw performing that night, the next day it had been dismantled and in its place was a huge LCD screen and stage. When we came by that evening there were popular personalities on stage. There is a lot of smoke and ash in the air and the offerings tables are sagging under the weight of all the contributions.

On Monday morning we climbed to the summit of Bukit Timah again, we are all dedicated to making it to Gudel now so no slacking off in the training. Eric and a Richard, a mate from work, went to see Joe Bonamassa play at the Entertainment Centre in the evening. That's the building that looks like a durian. It is the first opportunity to see any live music since we have been here as other concerts have been on while we are working.  They finished off the night at Richard's local haunt, 'The Crazy Elephant' which has live Blues music every night of the week from 10pm. Usually too late to interest us. They both really enjoyed it all and are looking ahead to the next opportunity to see a concert already.

The Mid-Autumn Festival, also called the Mooncake or Lantern Festival, is now beginning. (One festival ends and another begins). This is celebrated annually by both Chinese and Vietnamese as a traditional harvest festival. This year, the festival takes place from 11 September to 10 October, when the moon is at its fullest.  Chinatown, Clarke Quay and The Chinese Gardens are dressed up with lanterns and fairy lights and the stalls are now specializing in mooncakes, pomelos, tea and other festive treats.

 Mooncakes

On Tuesday evening we went to Clarke Quay to see the lanterns turned on at dusk. We sat by the river at a Spanish Bar eating tapas and drinking Sangria, but it didn't feel anything like Madrid in 2011. The river has a number of lantern floats on it, there are animated lanterns depicting the Chinese ancestral beings all along one bank  and the pedestrian bridge has turned into sideshow alley. We find it all a bit gaudy to tell you the truth, the floats look more like Disney creations crossed with The Simpsons. I much prefer the traditional  rock ancestral beings at the Chinese Gardens.  

 Eric with his Monkey.

 Me and my Rooster.

from Sri Lanka

The last week of term flew by, many of the children arrived with gifts for Teacher's Day so we have more chocolates in the fridge than is healthy. We had a few beers at the Heartland Mall cafe then all headed off in different directions: Sri Lanka, Phuket, Cambodia, Bali, Laos and Korea. 

Our flight left at 1am and took 3 and half hours which meant we landed at the terrible local time of 2am. Our original plan had been to sleep the morning in Colombo but the local guide we hired, who is a family friend of Peter Scarrott's, recommended driving straight out to Sigiriya in the central north region. It means we don't lose time getting out of Colombo the next day, apparently the traffic can be appalling. He also felt there was very little to see in Colombo so you just trust the local knowledge, it has always worked for us before. We were met by Nandana and his driver Daya and whisked out of the airport after getting some money and local sim cards. The 3 and half hour drive to Sigiriya was not like driving around Singapore, more like the traffic in Malaysia 30 yrs ago. We were often confronted with 2 sets of head lights approaching us on the single lane road and the surface altered dramatically, finding every squeak and rattle in the Corolla. Cattle and dogs seem to feel they have equal rights on the roads here too and around each of the towns are a fleet of 3-wheeler tuk-tuks.  But our driver was cautious and we never felt too uneasy. I tried to sleep but instead of dozing off first my right shoulder would go to sleep and then my left leg. I never got the whole lot together. 

Finally we arrived at Sigiriya Village Hotel. We fell straight into bed and had some good sleep before a late breakfast and a wander around the beautiful grounds. On our first morning we have spotted hornbill, kingfisher, flycatchers and beautiful doves, not to mention all the other unidentified ones and mammals. I think I would be happy spending 3 days in the grounds of the hotel with its wonderful view of the rock fortress and Ayurvedic Herbal Centre for massages.  

 inquisitive macaque monkey

 Malabar Pied-Hornbill

 Asian Paradise-Flycatcher

But at 1pm Nandana was back and we took a jeep out to Minneriya National Park looking for elephants. The ride was so bumpy, I was wondering if my evening  massage booking was even necessary. In the dry season the elephants congregate on the grassy banks, where the water has dried up, to graze. Then as the sun begins its descent they head into the water and mud to bathe. We saw elephant and buffalo herds and plenty of birds and monkeys but no sambar deer,  painted storks or leopards today. The whole region has been in drought for three years now and much of the forest, especially the bamboo section is looking very much in need of a good rainfall. 

 a small elephant herd of about 30

 our mode of transport

 wild buffalo herd

By the time we got home we were both quite weary but we still managed a short walk around the local lotus lagoon where a loan elephant had come down to bathe along with cormorant, pygmy geese, jacana and swamp hens to name a few. The massage was a good way to relax before dinner. I met Eric in the bar for a pre-dinner drink only to discover that today is the funeral of a high priest, so out of respect, no alcohol is to be served. Small problem.... It is ok to have alcohol in your room so we had an after dinner drink instead, thanks to purchases at duty free on arrival.  Then we had a pretty early night by anyone's standards. 

Tuesday 4th September

After a walk around the grounds, featuring more hornbill, we had breakfast. While waiting for our pick-up there were about 20 macaque monkeys enjoying an early morning romp on the roof of our room.  

 Note the monkeys on the roof as I write

 In the morning we climbed up the impressive 200m rock mass of Sigiriya. This UNESCO heritage site has a disputed history, according to one theory it was the fortress palace of King Kassapa from around 500AD who needed a safe place from which to rule after killing his father. Another, more recent theory is that it was developed as a Theravada Buddhist monastery built several centuries earlier. Whatever the true story, it is a most impressive geological formation and the man-made structures and artistic enhancements are a credit to early human endeavor. 

 Sigiriya Rock Fortress

 Didn't think of this in Fiji 33 yrs ago

After lunch we visited another UNESCO heritage site, the mediaeval capital city of Polonnaruwa. Anuradhapura was the first capital of Sri Lanka but after destruction by the South Indian Chola invaders the capital was moved here. The Chola dynasty lasted about 70 years and then the Sinhalese king Vijayabahu I ousted them and kept this as his capital. It is a huge site with a very impressive archaeological museum, thank goodness we have a car to help visit the most significant remains. Some of the most outstanding examples are Buddhist sites, yet as we discovered in Cambodia, the followers of Buddhist philosophy seemed to have been able to live quite harmoniously with the growing influence of Hindu believers. 

 Nandana and Libby chat with a monk from Singapore

 Reclining Buddha

Nandana had arranged an evening visit to a site featuring the very shy loris,  but we have probably spent too long at different times of the day searching for birds, and the traffic was bad getting back to Sigiriya, so unfortunately we were too late. In the evening we just had dinner at a local restaurant and then another early night.

Wednesday 5 Sept

We began with a 6:30am walk with Nandana around a nearby lake. We saw many birds including Brahminy kite and purple heron and also a large grey mongoose along with other mammals and reptiles. After breakfast we checked out and headed to Kandy. Along the way we visited the impressive rock temple at Dambulla. Dambulla is a central trading market for locally produced fruit and vegetables open 24hrs a day. We drove through the wholesale area to see the trucks unloading the amazing range of produce which was pretty impressive, 20 varieties of banana for instance. Sri Lanka has dry and wet zones, high country and lowland so is able to produce a great variety of fresh food and this is reflected in the staple diet of rice and curried vegetables. 

The rock temple is actually a series of caves atop the hill overlooking the township. There are superb views from up there looking all the way back to Sigiriya and beyond.  The caves' history as a place of worship can be dated back to the 1st century BC and there are so many Buddha images and paintings it is difficult to understand how they knew when to stop. 

 Golden temple

Then we dropped into the Surathura Spice and Herbal Garden at According to the lads in the front seat Matale is famed for producing the most beautiful women in Sri Lanka. Matale is famed Now we have visited spice gardens before but this one was quite different. You are escorted around the garden by a highly educated and enthusiastic Ayurvedic guide who explains all the properties of each plant and how the ingredients can be used in cooking, for medicinal treatments or blended for other uses like mosquito bite or beauty creams. It was fascinating and ended with a therapeutic massage which you just can't say no to. We were sent away with recipes for every sort of ailment.....from removing stains on teeth and bad breath to prostate and hemorrhoids. We will be glowing in good health by the time we return to work.  Just ask us for the recipes and we will share. 

We arrived in Kandy with just enough time to check in to the grand 'olde' Queen's Hotel where we are welcomed by liveried doormen. The hotel fronts the lake and maintains the style of Colonial rule with an over-sized foyer, ornate wooden paneling and a grand piano. Our room is on the first floor so we take the sweeping staircase and walk down the red carpeted hall.  No time for a welcoming drink, we are out the front door and on our way to see the Kandy Cultural Show. Now I had diplomatically tried to extricate ourselves from this but it was soon obvious that Nandana was not going to hear of it, so obligingly we went along. To tell you the truth it was very entertaining with about 10 short dances accompanied by drumming and horn blowing then completed with a fire walking demonstration. Despite all that it was reasonably brief, so all in all it was worth seeing. 

 Puja Natuma, an offering to the guardian deities

 Mayura Natuma (Peacock Dance)

 Raban (hand drum) twirling

 Gini Sisila (Fire dance) 

 Fire walking

We then made a quick exit so we could get to the alms ceremony at the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple right on Lake Kandy. This most valued artifact has been moved each time a new Kingdom was established in Sri Lanka and since Kandy was the location of the last kingdom the relic is kept here in safe keeping. The temple is very ornate and at this time of day, when the devotees are called by loud drumming and horn blowing to bring food and flower offerings for the monks, it is very crowded and noisy. The temple was targetted by Muslim terrorists in 1998 so security is very tight. 

 Exquisitely decorated interior

 Exterior view the next morning

Finally, we went to an outlook high above the city to see the night lights and had dinner up there in the cooler evening air that this region is famous for. It's all very beautiful but once again we have had a log day and we are very weary. Nandana bought along a bottle of the locally fermented coconut juice for us to try. Called arrak it is very much like whiskey (38%) and quite drinkable with soda. 

Thursday 6th

Woken early by the imam calling Muslim devotees to prayer and the sound of traffic, such a different scenario to the last few mornings when we have woken to birdsong and monkey business on the roof. At 6:30 Nandana met us and together we walked a lap of the lake, it is beautiful in the early morning light but the noise of the traffic assaults you even at this hour. The children are already on their way to school and the roads are flooded with cars, buses, lorries, tuk-tuks and motorbikes. Everyone is tooting just to let you know they are there.

 Queens Hotel

 Across the lake to the Tooth Relic Temple

 Black-Crowned Night Heron

 Traditional wedding party

After breakfast we walked all over the Botanical Gardens which are recognized as the oldest in Asia. Not only are the grounds beautiful but it proved to be another wonderful bird watching opportunity. 

 This canopy is all one tree

 I think they are both looking at the same bird

 They call these the drunken trees

 We've got our eyes on an orange minuvet

Nandana took us to lunch and it was then we discovered Eric's glasses were missing a screw as he dropped a lens. How lucky that it didn't happen in the gardens! Our next stop was the optometrist. Again, how lucky it happened today in Kandy and not while we are staying in the rainforest. We spent the afternoon relaxing, a little shopping and enjoying the charming Queens Hotel. In the evening we tried the poolside bar and then on the way to dinner we found ourselves in the street-side bar. Searching the first couple of blocks turned up nothing of particular interest so we settled for the hotel buffet for dinner as well. 

 Queens Hotel Foyer

 Queens Hotel Poolside bar

Fri Sept 7
We were lying in bed sorting through the images we have downloaded from the camera when we received a text from Peter to tell us he has been sleeping in the foyer of the hotel and is now ready for breakfast. Having arrived on the same flight we had done a few days earlier, he has taken a taxi to Kandy to meet up with us. After breakfast together we packed, met with Nandara and Daya and we are soon on our way. First stop a tea factory to see how the famous Ceylon tea is picked, processed and packed. 

 The leaves are air dried

 The machines are antiquated

 but the girls serving are gorgeous

It is going to be a long drive today, we have been advised not to take the planned route through the mountains because heavy rain will make that a very slow trip. Instead we head west and skirt the most mountainous area but that also means later in the afternoon we are using some village roads which are quite narrow and poorly maintained. We had lunch at Lafayette, a massive new establishment as a sideline to the gemstone business. This Ratnapura district we are driving through is well known for its gemstone mines but the workers risk their lives every time they go down into the shonky tunnels and we am not interested in lining the pockets of the operators who take no responsibility for the welfare of the workers. They served us such large meals that I take more than half my chicken byriani away with me and Narandra finds a beggar in the next township to give it to. He is especially grateful and I also feel much better about the food going to someone who needs it rather than be tossed out. The beggar blessed me and wishes me great gifts. 

La Fayette Restaurant and Function Room

 Sharing with a less fortunate character

 Taking care not to be caught in the jungle for 2 nights without a drink

We started out this morning at 8:30am and eventually arrive at 6pm. Meanwhile we have transferred into a jeep for the last 20 mins climb to Professor Martin's Bungalow because we are confronted with serious 4wd conditions. Martin was a gate keeper for the Sinharaja National Park for many years and was a keen observer of the birds. The story goes that researchers were unable to solve the mystery of the breeding habit of the green-billed coucal and one day Martin was told about the research. He was able to show them how the bird builds a nest on the ground in a clump of a particular bamboo. As a result, he was bestowed the title of Professor and now runs a small bungalow right on the edge of the park where he is visited by students and nature enthusiasts and he aims to promote peace through appreciation of nature's wonders. You only get to stay here if he knows you personally or you are recommended by a friend or colleague, another advantage to travelling with Nandana. After a delicious meal and a beer we all have an early night and sleep well.

Not quite the Queens, but fabulous dining anyway

Nandana, Prof Martin and Daya

Saturday Sept 8th
Nandana wakes us at 6 am, in time for coffee, and we are about to head to the park office to purchase tickets and engage a local guide as required when a pair of blue magpies visit the breakfast verandah.

What a good omen this proves to be for the morning walk. I believe this is the first gift from yesterday's interaction with the beggar. We spent the morning on the trails through the park, there is intermittent rain and sunshine - sometimes the clouds roll in and combined with shadows from the trees it makes the light so dull, at other times the light is just bouncing with brilliance off the wet leaves and flowers and you find yourself squinting. The only time we experienced a heavy shower, we were in easy reach of the research outstation. Was that another gift?  We have had a wonderful time finding birds, many endemic just to this area. While we have been finding them, the leeches have been finding us (despite the leech socks we are wearing) and before we return to the bungalow for a late lunch we have to do a thorough body search. It's amazing where these little creatures can get to,  just ask Eric who has a great story to tell about a leech, a scrotum, a lit cigar and the world's greatest fighter pilot (circa 1985). After some down-time around the bungalow we took a late afternoon stroll out to the Education Centre and then followed the trail back towards the village but the birds were staying well hidden. Returning to the bungalow we shared a lovely meal and last bottle of duty free Australian red, celebrating a wonderful day in amazonian-like rainforest.

We found an amazing array of the birds and were able to photograph some. Others we could see but just couldn't snap despite Eric's best efforts.

 wild form of ginger

 wild orchid

 

 pitcher plant

Sunday Sept 9th
It has rained heavily overnight and the planned early morning walk has to be postponed and then finally cancelled. It is lovely to lie in bed listening to the rain on the roof and appreciating just how lucky we were to get to visit the park yesterday with such good conditions.  The privilege of the 3 of us staying  here has cost us the princely sum of 32000 rupee which equates to about Sg$320 for 2 nights, 3 meals a day, leech socks and jeep transport. After breakfast we head back down the jungle track in the jeep with our young driver who tells me he is 17. He looks more like 12!  Nandara tells me you can apply for your license at 18 so I ask no more questions, he has handled the jeep and the road conditions with what appears to be experience way beyond his years. I can't help wondering how long he has been driving. After transferring back into the Corolla we make good time to Galle, especially after joining the new coastal highway which has only been open for a few months. We checked in to the Unawatuna Beach Resort which is 5 star compared to the bungalow.  Peter joins the family he has been visiting for the last 6 years. Mid afternoon Nandana is back, this time in his own 3-wheel tuk-tuk to take us on a cruise up the river to look for local birds. 

Peter joined us and we all thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to see the river environment as it changes from urban residential to rural, through mangroves and to the wetlands. In the 2 hours we registered lots of bird species including a number of new ones, the highlight being so very close to kingfishers and a crested changeable eagle.

 Crested Changeable Eagle

 Common Kingfisher

 Purple Faced Leaf Monkey

 Little Egrets flying upriver to roost at dusk

We then went to the home of Nandana's nephew, Dilip. Peter first met Dilip in 2004 just after the tsunami when he was visiting and Dilip was driving a tuk-tuk for the hotel where he stayed.  The area had been badly affected, many people were homeless and Dilip and even more of his family were living in his mother's house, in very crowded conditions.  Peter undertook to sponsor the family in their endeavors to build their own home. The house is not yet finished but is at lock up stage so at least they can now at last all leave it at the same time. We had dinner there and met Dilip's wife and children who adore Peter as he plays the clown with them and also Australia V Sri Lanka test matches with all the cousins. The family are all obviously very grateful for all the help Peter has provided over the years.

Monday 10th Sept
Even though we are not tripping about with Nandana until 10am we are called to the balcony early to identify the bird calls. The tree right beside us plays host to  pale breasted flower peckers, ashy drongo, black capped oriole, broad-billed crow, spotted dove and black headed munia. We marvel at how much we have learnt about identifying the local species in such a short time. We try to take a walk along the beach but the tide is too high and the traffic too busy on the road so we give it a miss and just enjoy breakfast overlooking the bay.

First we drive south along the  coast to see the stilt fishermen. Families establish a pole and then it is passed down through the generations, but if one is not being used at any time it can also shared. Today there are few being used as the seas are rough. 

A brief shower arrives just in time to send us into a beachside cafe for coffee and local snacks. We drive by the Galle cricket ground and it is pointed out that Shane Warne spent quite a bit of time and money here resurrecting the ground and stands after the tsunami which flooded the whole arena. 

 In the foreground you can see what is left of the old stand

Then we entered the old fort precinct which was first under Portuguese (1588), then Dutch (1649) and finally British rule . Now its heritage value is UNESCO protected. Unlike he rest of the coast it was undamaged by the tsunami because of its high position and impenetrable walls. They believe the mosque within the fort is probably one of the oldest buildings of all because it was established by the Afghan traders even before the Portuguese.

 With the cricket ground in the background

 Rampart Hotel for lunch in Galle Fort

 Fishing is hugely important to the local economy here

From here we returned to our hotel for a break. We made time to copy some pictures to disc for Nandana so he can use them on the website he is planning to develop and we bought both he and Daya birding guides as gifts. Late in the afternoon Nandana took us in his tuk-tuk to a village in the marshy wetlands for a final search for birds. We didn't see many before it got dark but we did appreciate the opportunity to walk through the little village observing the local way of life without feeling like we were intruding because Nandana is with us. All afternoon Peter has been playing backyard cricket with the children and he looks wrecked when we turn up. After bad light brought an end to the cricket and our birdwatching we shared the evening at Nandana's house where his wife served us a delicious curry and rice dinner.

Tuesday 11th Sept

Our final morning. Although the flight doesn't leave until almost 3pm we are collected at 9am. Peter is already in the car and we take the easy new expressway to the outskirts of Colombo. By December this new road should extend all the way to the airport and eventually to Jaffna in the north. Even though it takes only an hour to Colombo now, the next 30 kms to the airport can take up to 2 hrs. Being from Colombo, Daya knows a shortcut but it takes us down some very narrow village roads which are carrying traffic in both directions so it is slow going. When we meet with a detour because of a temple function of some sort and then wind upon the midst of a very busy market, he begins to worry that we will be late. I could not have contemplated how choked the roads are with every type of vehicle imaginable but believe it or not, we actually got to the airport 10 mins earlier than expected. The airport is a haven of peace and quiet with welcome open spaces after the throttling traffic of the roads. We have had a wonderful trip and are already considering returning in March next year to view the blue whales, go scuba diving on the reefs, visit Yala National Park in the hope of spotting a leopard and Bundala for flamingoes. Hopefully that road will be completed by then.